You Give Love A Bad Name
by Modesto-Love-128898
Summary: Running from her past, Rachel has completely changed her life. Shutting everyone out, she creates a new persona for herself in a new town. She's had to change. A lot. But how can she keep her demons at bay when the past begins to catch up to her? Rated M for later chapters
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** I do not own, nor am I affiliated with the Glee franchise. Any characters belong to their respective creators.

* * *

 **Prologue**

She held the gun in her hands, aiming directly for the target. While her aim was spot on, she knew a moving target would definitely be more of a challenge. So this was just insurance so to speak. She'd moved away, calling her father's once a week from a prepaid phone. She wasn't going to be found if she had anything to do with it.

The small town she had come to call home was perfect. It was pretty much unheard of, even to those who lived in Texas themselves. No one would think to look for her here. Anyone who knew her was aware that she hated the heat and loved the snow. So why would she go somewhere out west?

The firing range was a definite plus. As someone who was originally anti-gun, she figured that there could be a sense of security in it should he come for her. She did feel more in control with it in her hands. Who would have guessed she'd be such a good shot.

As the flimsy target floated toward her on the track, allowing her to admire her handiwork up close. Each hole was a precise headshot. She hoped she never had the opportunity to do this to a person.


	2. Deal

**Disclaimer:** I do not own, nor am I affiliated with the Glee franchise. Any characters belong to their respective creators.

* * *

One:

She walked back to her house, gun in her bag. It was a small home, the very opposite of what one would picture the stereotypical Texas home. One bedroom, a decent sized kitchen. The living room had enough room for a love seat. She didn't need a television. She had her books. That was all the entertainment she needed save her iPod.

Having long since deleted her Myspace, the best she could do for music was singing tunes around the house while she cleaned or cooked. When she wasn't reading or singing or firing a gun, she was working at the local burlesque club as a dancer. It was embarrassing at first but it kept her toned and allowed her to perform for an audience on some level.

And she could admit that it was fun.

Grabbing a quick shower, she left her house once more and headed for work.

~o0o~

So maybe it wasn't the most tasteful of careers in her opinion. It wasn't her initial dream. But it was technically in her desired field. She'd worked to convince herself that it was kind of the same thing, reminding herself that some musicals and plays required performers to strip down. So when she walked through the back of the club and into the dressing room, she was grateful that she could still do something theatrical - even if she didn't get to sing the songs herself.

Piling on the makeup and straightening her hair, she prepared to dress for the first number. "Fever" was one of those typical songs she'd admit. Nonetheless, she liked performing it. So when the stage light hit her and Peggy Lee's vocal cover came through the speakers, she danced like there were cameras.

He couldn't believe his eyes. At first he hadn't been sure it was her. It couldn't have been. The girl he knew wouldn't have been caught dead in a place like this. And she sure as hell wouldn't be dancing on the stage lip syncing to some cheesy music.

He had just been about to leave when he saw her, deciding to stay. His colleagues had long-since left, leaving him to observe his former classmate. He watched as she did dance after dance. Song after song.

While Rachel executed each number, Noah Puckerman was watching.

~o0o~

She'd seen him. And he made sure she knew that he saw her. When the opportunity presented itself, the seat closest to the stage. Looked right up at her with that stupid smirk she remembered from school. She stuttered just slightly in her routine, hurrying to catch up with the rest of the girls.

He was still there when her shift was over.

Unfortunately for her, security had gone home by the time she had finished cleaning up (as they often were given her extensive beauty regime). This only made it easy for him to slip backstage as she left through the back door.

He followed her out. It was obvious she was avoiding him but he wasn't going to let her win that easily. It didn't take long for him to catch up with her in the alleyway. When he placed his hand on her shoulder he expected her to jump. He didn't expect her to turn around and put a gun into his chest.

"Holy shit! Rachel, it's me." He held his hands in the air, hoping she wouldn't shoot.

She lacked the bangs she'd had in high school, her long locks cut to her shoulders. Parted to the side it was styled in dramatic waves which made him smirk. If Rachel Berry was anything, it was dramatic. It had been a long time since he had seen her and yet she hadn't changed a bit. The last time he saw her she had been getting on a train to New York.

"This is a little far from Broadway, Berry."

Eyes, wide, she covered his mouth. "Shh!" Looking around, she made sure that no one had been paying them any attention. Holstering her gun beneath the sweatshirt she wore, she furrowed her brows, wiping her palms on her jeans. "That isn't my name anymore. It's Grace Belin."

"The fuck?"

"Noah, you cannot tell anyone that you saw me here tonight. Anyone. Ever."

"Aren't you at least going to tell me why?"

"No."

"Well, unless you give me a legitimate reason as to why I shouldn't what's going to stop me from talking."

"Are you forgetting that I'm armed?"

"No, I am quite aware. What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Noah," she warned.

"Grace."

She set her jaw. Shooting him now will draw too much attention, she told herself. "If I talk, you leave. There's a diner down the road. You up for coffee?"

"It's almost three in the morning."

"Get a water then. I'm not taking you to my place."

He wanted to ask what the issue was. But, thinking back, he had a pretty good idea. The last he'd heard, Berry had gotten married to some director she'd met in New York. Now she was here acting jittery about seeing an old friend. She'd pulled a gun on him. It didn't take a genius to put it all together. Still, he'd rather she tell him. Maybe he was wrong. It wouldn't be the first time, after all.

Following her, he found himself sitting in a small diner with an admittedly delicious looking cobbler in front of him. Wasting no time, he began to dig in. "So what happened to Broadway?"

"One day," she muttered, picking at her own slice. "I got married."

"I know. You're dads were so mad that it wasn't back home. Courthouse if I remember correctly."

She tried not to roll her eyes at the amount of food in his mouth as he spoke. "Yeah, well, I should have known better that to marry someone I'd known for less that eight months. Some things happened - things I would rather not get into - and when it came down to it, leaving was my best option."

"Makes sense," nodded. "Why the name change though? I mean come on. Grace. Really?"

"I've always like the name and I figured it would be harder to be found if I wasn't Rachel anymore."

"He hit you?"

She didn't answer. Instead she took a bite of her pie, looking out the window.

"You could have called me," he continued.

"And say what? We hadn't spoken in years. How was I just going to call you? 'Hi Noah. It's Rachel. You know the girl you used to date before I left you. Yeah I kind of need your help. My husband keeps-' " But she stopped herself. She didn't even want to think about what her husband had done to her. It had been more than that. More than just his hands.

"You know I would have helped you. Done something about it." Knuckles white from the first he had around his fork, he took a deep breath. "It doesn't matter what happened with us. You were in my life before we ever got together. I care about you. Nothing will change that."

She felt the guilt rise in her. The feeling of her throat tightening. Grabbing her glass of sweet tea, she took a generous gulp. "Well what's done is done now. Not much I can change about it."

"Fair enough," he agreed, though he could feel the anger filling him.

"What are you in town for? No one comes here."

"Movie. I wanted to try my hand in an independant film. The directors are from here so they figured it be the perfect location for their debut."

"I take it expecting you to be gone by tomorrow is asking too much," Rachel muttered into her glass. "Not that I'm not happy for you. This is amazing news. You've earned it. It's just…"

"You were hoping that I was passing through."

"It would've been easier. But I don't mind. As long as you don't tell anyone I'm here."

"Deal."

"Deal."

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 **A/N:** Thank you guys so much for reading. Hopefully the next chapter will be up soon. It has taken a while due to moving and settling in. But here it is. Sorry it's not longer. I wish it was. But I'm not going to try and force it either.

XOXO

Ana


	3. AN

There are more updates coming. I promise :)


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